Handle for floor-surfacing machines



I 192 v May 7 R. E. LEWIS HANDLE FOR FLOOR SURFACING MACHINES Filed Se pt. 28. 1925 Patented May 31, 1927.

Brennan n-LEWIs, or" CHICAGO, rumors. j

mama-Foe rLooB-sUnrAoinG AonriIEsQ,

. Application filed September as, 925 serial ,No.". 58,988 .i I if There isa type of mOtQr-driven floor sand ing machlne in which the front end is, supported on a cylindrical roller coveredwith sand paper or the like androtating rapidly aim the direction t'endingto niovethe machine ahead; the rear end'of'tlie'm achine being supported .on suitable wheels; and there beingahandle projecting rearw'ardly for the a purpose of moving 'or, controlling the movements of the machine. -.When the; machine. is operating on afloor the handle 1s used to "hold it back that is, to restr ain it fro movingfahea'd as fast as it will go; and the handle is also used to control the downward pressureon the roller, the pressure being varied by pushing upwardly'or downwardly on the rear end of the handle.

It" is" comparatively easy and convenient to pull back,

my invention is characterized will hereinon thehandle, but to'vpush up on thesame in' order to increase the pressure of the roller, is very tiresome. p a

The object of the present invention is to produce a simple and novel construction wherebyrthe mere act of holding back or pulling on the'handle of a machine of the character brieflyexplained above will produce a downward pressure onthe surfacing roller; so that'the operator need only con cern himself withpulling on the handle in order to control the machine both as to speed of travel and degree of pressure. a

The various features of novelty whereby afterbe pointed out with particularity in theclaims g -but, for a full understanding of my invention andof its objects and advantages,

reference may be had'to the following'detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying; drawlng, which is a side perspectiveview of a machine to which my I invention is applied; the handle being shown in full lines in its normal position and in dotted lines in the position which it occupies when the machine is in operation and a rearward pullis exerted on the handle.

Referring to the drawing,'1' represents the body of afioor surfacing machine supported. at the front end by afcylindrical abrading roller 2 that is adapted to rotate rapidly in theclockw'ise direction, as viewed in the drawlng. .The rearend of the machine is V mounted on wheels 3 or other suitablesupporting elements.

The motor for driving the roller is mounted ontop of the machine, as indicated at 4, preferably so that a porcontaini-ngthe points of contact betweenthe rear wheels and the floor;

1 tion thereof lies front a plane Thepresentinvention isbased,onfthe fact-' t at a curved vspring bar-orith like, up ported at its ends, presses downwardly at both ends when an-attempt is made toflatten f the'same; Inutilizingthisprinciple,prov de the; machinew'ith:ajcurved handle,so

disposed that-when the lniachine tends to:

movefahead while the operatorfisholding bad; on the re'ar end of the handle, forces are apphedthat tend to straighten the handle and thus produce a downward pressure on Y the front end of the 'machin'e, well asia downward pressurefon thefl rearfend of the metalpipe,'preferablyof, iron or steel, and f given the proper curvature, it :will possess thenecessary resiliency, without leaving the 1 machine so far out of control that it will tend to move irregularly or chatter. The handle is I preferably shaped as; shown in the draw ing, 5 representingthe handle,- likean i n, verted flattened U, the free end of the forward arm being bent forwardly-and collapsed, asindicated at'6,-so as to lie flatupon the top of the motor; the handle being fastened to the motor by bolts 7 'p'ass'ing through the flattened or; collapsed end, On the free end of the jreararm ofthe handle" is a crosspiece 8 or handhold. Itwill therefore be seen that the handholdlies considerably b-elowjthe highest'pointfofthe handle, l I

permitting it to be located: at such a height; from the floor as to; bemost convenient for theoperator. V

' Normally,when thedmach'ine is at rest, the l a handle is in the shapeshow-n in the draw ing. When the machine is in operation it moves ahead under its'own power "andfthe operator simp y Pulls back, 01 the hand I holds, thereb'y checking orcomplet-ely stop-' U l ping the forward motion; The; handle is.

therefore subjected to pullingz'forces, acting p in opposite directions at the ends thereof, and consequently the'handle isstraightened.

more'or less and, in straightening exerts a downward pressure on the machine; As heretofore stated, if the 'handle were} too 'i'esilient, it Would not hold the machine to its work but would permit the machine :to shatter.

While have ilhis'trated and described Wltll particularity only a single ,prefierred.

form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details "thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangement which 'eome ithin the definitions of myinVentiOn eonstit'uting the appended claims.

jith a floor-surfacing maehine having Ia surfacing'roller at the front end acting as a support and also as 'aqtiact'ionniemher tending to moi e the niachine ahead, of -a handle extending rear- I Wardlyfi'om 'saidjinae'hine, said handle'haV- i'ng fa bowed s'p 'i'ng seeti'on so positioned therein that apnll on the handle tendin'g to Straighten th-e spi'ing section pi'odu ces a downward prjes'suieon the roller.

2. The combination withafloonsurfaeing "machine having, a surfacing roller at the V h ont'end'aeting as a supportfo-r that end; and a supp'oitingelement at the reanend of a -bow'ed resilient handle extending upflw'ardly and iealtwvartlly from-a point on the or 'maeh ne such 1 that a, downwa d pressure at that point prodncesa'downwardpressiii'e on said roller, the concave side fo ffthe handle facing downwardly] 3. The combination with a floo1 -surfaeing machineihaving "surfacing roller at the front end acting as a support and also as a'ti a-eti'oii element tending to di'ive the ma} ehine ahead, and a supporting element for. the i ea'i end of the machine,' of a'fboWed;

handle made of a pipe of i esilientnietalzextending upwardly: and rearwardly fro n point above the in aohine the coneave side ofth'e, handle being "diiected downwardly. 4; The colnbin'atl'onwith a Hoot-surfacing machine having at-surfacing i oll enjat' the": a front ends'erving as a support for .tlat end, a supporting element'for the rear endgf'and' 1 an operating iniotor mounted "the'reonfinfa' of a- V handle extending ieafw'a'l'dly n- -m the lower end to the "motor easing;

In testimony whereof, this RICHARD LEWTSL 1. 

